Women weaken legs, they say. So with the British and Irish Lions standing on the verge of a historic Test victory Down Under, it seems the Australian Wallabies may have resorted to some underhand tactics to distract our boys.

There was Irish international winger Tommy Bowe, above, innocently splashing about in the surf, when along came a gaggle of bikini-clad girls in suspiciously professional formation.

Not just any girls, it turned out – but the stars of the Victoria Maidens, who play American football in a top Australian women’s team.

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Taking a dip: It was a meeting of sporting minds (and bodies) when the British and Irish Lions took a dip in the sea with an Australian ladies football team

Splash: The two groups ventured into the water at St Kilda Beach, Melbourne, Victoria

Greeting: Tommy Bowe politely says hello to a fellow bather while The British and Irish Lions have a cold water recovery session

Chilly: The girls didn't look like they found the water as warm as the men

Attraction: The women's team caused quite a stir among the locals, many of whom stopped to take pictures of both teams

And, apparently, they just happened to be doing some post-match ‘ocean recovery’ at the same time as the lads.

Displaying admirable focus, Britain
and Ireland’s finest kept their eye on the ball as they discussed
sporting matters in the water.

Time to get wet: Two of the players race to get into the sea while the rest of the group linger in the shallower waters

Taking time out: One of the players is seen streching out his arms as the group enjoy a dip in the sea

Fancy seeing you here: The Maidens happened to be at the beach when the Lions went to cool off

Beach bods: George North does his Daniel Craig impression (left) and Lauren and Joules of the Maidens

Followed: Bowe, from County Monaghan, Ireland, had a trail of ladies following him as he left the water

Playing around: Tom Croft (left) kicks sand at Dan Cole

The women's team caused quite a stir among the locals, many of whom stopped to take pictures of both teams.

Winger Tommy Bowe was seen politely
greeting a fellow bather in the water - when he left the water he was
followed by a bevvy of attractive ladies.

Jamie Roberts and Sean O'Brien also engaged in a spot of practice as they hurled around a rugby ball in the water.

The Maidens are part of the LFL - a new ladies' league that plays a version of Gridiron

Some of the photos posted by the team show them in skimpy purple outfits with war paint on

The Maidens, who are also known as
the Pirates, have only been in existence since the turn of the year,
quite at odds with the 125 years of history associated with the Lions.

Shortly before they were pictured
with the rugby stars, the team updated their Facebook page with a
picture of them practicing their plays on the sand.

The post said: 'Even on their days
off our Maidens are at it. A little bit of sunshine on a winters (sic)
day and the pirates hit the beach for some scrimmage and ocean
recovery.'

Start-up: The Victoria Maidens strike a pose as part of their launch into the Ladies Football League

Taking to the pitch: The football players train in brightly-coloured outfits

Strike a pose: The ladies line up for a photo call in a snap posted on their Facebook page

And they had a message for the Lions -
'Our city, our house'. It's not quite as intimidating as the challenge
facing the team on Saturday, but menacing enough.

The LFL, though not nearly as a
popular as rugby or the AFL, has cult status and one team, the
Queensland Brigade, were earlier visited by new Australian prime
minister Kevin Rudd.

Today
it was revealed that Exeter and Wales prop Craig Mitchell must pay
nearly £2,000 in compensation after knocking out a man in an Australian
hotel bar while celebrating last week’s British and Irish Lions win.

Mitchell,
27, who has 15 caps for Wales, had travelled to Australia to watch the
Lions Tour when the fight broke out on Sunday at the Normanby Hotel in
Brisbane following the tourists’ first Test win against the host
country.

He was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years and fined £1,180 over the attack.

Following: The LFL, though not nearly as a popular as rugby or the AFL, has cult status and one team, the Queensland Brigade, were earlier visited by new Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd

New: The Maidens, who are also known as the Pirates, have only been in existence since the turn of the year, quite at odds with the 125 years of history associated with the Lions

He was also ordered to pay £1,966 in compensation to lawyer Cian Barry.

The British and Irish Lions expect Australia to throw at them in Saturday's second test but they are also hoping to show what they can do in attack, flyhalf Jonny Sexton said on today.

The Lions held on for a 23-21 victory in the first test in Brisbane last week, despite being oustcored two tries to one, and Sexton thinks they have a point to prove at Docklands Stadium.